This year 1233 ABC Newcastle's Saturday host, Craig Hamilton, will be chucking on his boardies and heading to the beach to broadcast live during Surfest finals weekend.

He'll be presenting his show from the surf club at Merewether Beach on women's finals day, Saturday, February 23.

Broadcasting from 6am through till 10am, Craig's guests will include some of the champion surfers attending the event, as well as 1233's own surfing guru, Dave Anderson.

The lead-up events are already underway, with Australian Indigenous champ Russell Molony taking out the Wandiyali Classic on Wednesday.

It was the eighth time the Central Coast surfer had won the event, with the 36-year-old carpenter pulling a maximum 10-point ride in small conditions, despite dealing with the pain of a bluebottle sting.

The final of the Wandiyali Women's competition was won by Chae Moloney, aged only 16 from the south coast, who travelled eight hours by train to compete.

She also copped a bluebottle sting.

The Surfest men's and women's finals are now six-star events, attracting more than 800 national and international competitors.